


It's for the Best

by KZelda



Category: Original Work
Genre: Courtroom Drama, Divorce, F/M, Some angst, does it really count as drama, some drama, this fic is so out of context
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2019-10-23
Packaged: 2020-12-28 17:42:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21140639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KZelda/pseuds/KZelda
Summary: After 10 years of marriage and five kids later, it's time they go their separate ways.





	It's for the Best

**Author's Note:**

> This was basically buried in my creative writing folder so I decided to post it cause the hell not amirite?   
I should note that this belongs to my verse where this event DOES NOT happen in the slightest. I simply had to write this for a creative writing class that involved a conflict so this is what was produced.

“I want a divorce,” 

There. There was the bombshell that had hung in the air for so long. Levi couldn’t honestly believe what Jocelynn had uttered. He was thankful they were sitting at the dining table or else he would’ve fallen due to the shock. He had a feeling this was coming but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind thinking it was just paranoia. His mind went to the press getting ahold of the news. This would be a devastating blow to his fans, to his family, and even Jocelynn’s family. He thought of their children. A custody battle would ensue. Ten years of marriage and five kids later, he never thought they would end their relationship in a divorce. 

“Jocelynn please,” He begged. “Let’s talk this over. We can work this out. All couples have problems, we’re no exception. Sweetheart please, don’t just drop this on me out of the blue. There must be some reason for you to say that.”

“There’s nothing to work out,” Jocelynn responded. “We’ve done nothing but argue for the past few weeks and we’re seeing less and less of each other. I barely know who my husband is anymore. The inevitable has been held off for far too long. It’s over. I’m sorry.” 

She reached into her purse and pulled out a white envelope. Divorce papers, Levi thought, to make it official. She handed them to Levi along with a pen. 

“Here,” She said. “I’ve already signed my portion. I need you to do the same.”

With a shaky hand, he took the envelope, slowly opening it to reveal its contents. He looked at the lines that held Jocelynn’s signature. He gave a defeated sigh and took the pen, signing his name on the designated lines with slow and smooth strokes. 

The deed was done the moment he set that pen down. 

“What are we going to tell the kids?” He asked as he put the papers back in the envelope.

“The truth,” Jocelynn answered. “You and I are growing apart. They aren’t the reason for this. It’s us.”

Levi only nodded. It was the most reasonable explanation after all. There was a moment of silence as a thick and heavy atmosphere settled around them. Why was this happening? They’ve never felt this…awkward around each other. It’s like they have nothing left to say to each other. 

“Thank you,” She reached for the envelope, slipping it back into her purse. “I know that you’re going on tour soon, so it’s probably for the best that I file these as soon as possible.” 

As she rose to her feet, he collected her purse and began to head out the door. She paused as she placed her hand on the knob.

“I recommend hiring a divorce lawyer,” She stated. “I’ve already done the same.” She gave an awkward laugh. 

She gazed at her husband, who was staring out into space. She then walked out the door and it closed behind her with a soft click. 

…………………….

They broke the news to their kids later on. All had several questions on their minds. Both Levi and Jocelynn answered them the best they could. It was decided between them that the house they knew for over ten years was to be sold as it held far too many memories. They both were in the process of finding new homes. Other issues were still in the air, but the main problem was breaking the news to both of their families. So, there they sat in front of a judge weeks later with their respective lawyers.   
Both Levi and Jocelynn were unprepared for this as they hadn’t worked out all the details. The press somehow got ahold of the news. So, now it was out there. Levi and Jocelynn Denault are splitting. It was plastered over every magazine. The news had broken out faster than a wildfire, everyone knew even their families. They received phone calls about the topic and Levi and Jocelynn tried to explain it to them as best as they could. Both received serious backlash on their social media accounts. 

"Court now in session." The Bailiff announced. "Please rise for the honorable Judge Samuel Evans."

All rose to their feet as Judge Samuel entered the courtroom, taking his seat high above. He cleared his throat and laid out the case file before him on the bench.

“Case number 1359, file number 2658,” Judge Samuel spoke both loudly and clearly. “Divorce to be finalized, but the problem, your children, more along the lines of custody? Am I correct?”

“Yes, your honor,” Levi and Jocelynn spoke at the same time. 

“All right. Each of you has a minute to explain,” Judge Samuel looked at Levi. “Mr. Denault, you may give your reasoning.”

Levi took a deep breath. 

“I’m going to be straightforward with you,” He began. “My children are my world. I’ve been there for them since the moment they were born. My career will merely be a bump in the road. Yes, I’m on tour for months but I’ve been a wonderful father to them while on the road. Jocelynn can even attest to that herself. Thank you.” 

Jocelynn knew that this was her cue to speak. 

“It’s true that Levi has always been an excellent father while he’s on tour,” she said. “I don’t wish to keep the kids away from their father. I’m not that kind of person. But if he is to be on the road for a long time as he’s used to, then I feel as though full custody with visitation should be appropriate. Joint custody would be near impossible for the time being as Levi is to go on tour soon. I-“

“You can’t possibly be serious,” Levi interrupted as he shot to his feet. “Full custody with or without visitation is keeping me from the kids. You just said you don’t want that.”

“You’re going on tour soon, Levi,” Jocelynn argued, anger slowly rising within her. “It’s only appropriate until you get back.” 

“Just because that is going to happen is no excuse to keep me from them,”

Jocelynn opened her mouth to counter back but, slammed it shut when the judge slammed his gavel against the bench. 

“Silence in my courtroom,” Judge Samuel demanded. “Sit down Mr. Denault.” He took a breath. “Since you haven’t reached an agreement on custody, we will reconvene in three weeks from today. At that time, I expect both of you to come to a full custody agreement. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, your honor,” Levi and Jocelynn spoke at the same time. 

“You are adjourned,” He slammed his gavel against the bench a final time. 

Levi stood to leave, gathering his things. He looked at Jocelynn dead in the eye with a scowl on his face. 

“You chose the wrong time to file,” He growled. 

Jocelynn watched as he stormed out of the courtroom. Perhaps she did choose the wrong time to file for divorce. It was a foolish mistake as she should’ve waited till his tour was over. 

\----------------------------

Levi was bombarded with questions from the press that waited outside. He either answered them with a No Comment or didn’t answer at all. He just wanted to get to his car and head to the recording studio. So, he quickened his pace and headed to his black Dodge Durango Citadel. Quickly getting into the driver’s seat and started the car up. He bolted out of there and away from the press, away from the courthouse, away from…Jocelynn.   
His phone began to ring. He answered and found the person on the other end to be his realtor. He told him that everything went through for the new house and that all he needed was his signature. Hearing this made Levi’s day. He told the realtor that he would be over later on in the day to finalize everything, then hung up. A smile appeared on his face. This was the best news that he’s heard of all day. That was one more thought added to his mind. This divorce was overtaking everything.   
He pulled into the parking lot of the studio and parked his car. He headed inside. The building rose high to the sky. It’s sleek architecture matched Los Angeles perfectly. Crider Records was one of the top recording studios for rising musicians and the like. This was the one place where he could be himself. He wiped the divorce and house finalization from his mind and focused on one thing. His new album. It was to release a week before he went on tour. He was almost finished with it, as half of the songs were already completed and recorded. Even the art for the front and back covers had been decided.   
He said hello to the receptionist before taking the elevator up to the sixth floor. The ride up was smooth and quick. A ding signaling that he had reached his designated floor. He stepped out and proceeded down the hall, counting down to the third door on the left. He entered the room. The room had a red and black theme with chrome accenting the two. Dark wood flooring accented the black walls, with chrome tripped the upper and lower edges of the walls. Red upholstered furniture decorated the room with a plush black rug that pulled the room together. This was just the “lobby” while there was a short hall that leads to the actual recording studio. Just off to the left of the hall of Alex Crider’s office. He found his bandmates lounging in the lobby. They all greeted him. He casually tossed his belongings off to the side and plopped himself on the sofa, covering his eyes with his arms, releasing a short groan.

“Everything okay, man?” Ryan asked. 

Levi stayed silent. 

“Come on, Levi,” Joshua egged on. “Something’s bugging you.” 

“You haven’t paid any attention to magazines, haven’t you?” Levi barked. 

“You know full well I don’t read those,” 

Levi rolled his eyes and gave sigh. 

“And you’re going where, with that?” Ryan pressed on. 

“I’m getting divorced, okay?” Levi fumed as he looked at the rest of them.

The other bandmates sat there stunned. They all thought he had the perfect marriage, the perfect life. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Tyler mentioned. “Who…uh…”

“I didn’t want it,” Levi’s voice was filled with dejection. “Jocelynn did. Please, don’t say anything else about it.” 

He turned away, his back towards the others. 

They all chose to remain silent, not bothering to say another word. They all hoped that they’re manager Alex wouldn’t notice the tension that settled in the room. It wasn’t until a minute later that said manager walked into the room. The first person his gaze set to was Levi with concern on his face. But he pushed that to the back of his mind for now. 

“The studio is ready for you,” He announced. “Finishing the album is on today’s agenda. So, let’s get to it.” 

The bandmates and Levi all rose to their feet and headed down the hall to the studio. This divorce was not going to get to Levi. 

*****  
“I still can’t believe you two are splitting up,” 

“Mom, please,” Jocelynn begged. “Don’t guilt-trip me into changing my mind.”

Jocelynn’s mother, Brielle, had called. Not only to check up on her daughter but to ask how everything was going. 

“Sweetie I’m not,” Brielle countered. “If anything, I’m just telling you how I feel. What brought this on?”

“Levi and I…” Jocelynn wasn’t sure how to put the words together. “We’ve been drifting apart. Our careers are taking off even further as I just got another modeling deal overseas. And…”

“And…what?”

This was the real moment of truth, but it was no lie that they were drifting apart. 

“And I’ve fallen out of love with him,” She admitted. 

Jocelynn’s mother remained silent. She gave a sigh. 

“I’m speechless,” She said. “You two have been through everything together, you were high school sweethearts for crying out loud.” 

“I know,” Jocelynn was on the verge of tears. 

Brielle had to hang up as someone else was calling her. But she advised her daughter to fully think the divorce through before it was finalized. When she set her phone down, she did think about what her mother told her. Levi and she had been through so much together. A reunion after ten years apart, two years of dating with a break up in between, and their celebrity careers taking off. All of that was going to go down the drain when the divorce would be finalized.  
She rested her head against the steering wheel. Would she really do that to the one man she had vowed to be with her entire life? When she thought about Levi, her heart wouldn’t race like it used to, her cheeks wouldn’t flush red, and she always looked at him differently. Her mind was set. She wasn’t going to be with someone whom she didn’t love anymore.   
Her phone rang again. It was her realtor. When she answered, she was greeted with a hello and bad news. The house she was looking at to buy had passed its inspection and that the paper was ready to be filled out. This was honestly the best news Jocelynn needed to hear. She told the realtor she would be over right away. With that, she sped off.

****

The last guitar riff of the song rang out. When it was silent, Alex clapped his hands and rose to his feet. 

“Bravo,” He said with a smile. “Bravo to all of you. This album will the perfect way to kick off the new tour. Everyone is going to love it, including you Levi.” 

“Don’t put me in the spotlight just yet,” Levi’s tone was serious.   
Alex could tell that something was off with Levi. Actually, he could tell the moment he laid eyes on his client. 

“We’ll return to this tomorrow,” The manager said. “I’ll see you all tomorrow. Except for you Levi.” 

Levi internally groaned. The bandmates left quickly, leaving the two grown men alone. 

“Is there something wrong?” Alex asked. “You weren’t as focused as you usually are.” 

“Why don’t you take a look at the local magazines?” Levi shot back. “Even a few news reports. Find out the answer for yourself.” 

He gathered his things then stormed out the door. 

Minutes later he left the building and drove to the realtor. There he signed the papers and the new house was his. That shiny glittering key was his and his alone. He planned to move in as soon as possible. 

……………………

Over the course of the next two weeks, Levi moved into his new house. It was furnished to his liking. He had his kids over where they stayed over a couple of nights. This was where he was able to think that the divorce simply didn’t exist as his children mattered more. He chose not to ask them anything of what they think of the current situation But, during those two weeks, he and Jocelynn often gotten into arguments over custody, fighting over the phone about who gets the kids which week, weekend, or when Levi is away from home.   
It was during those two weeks when Jocelynn was able to finally move into her new home after the remaining papers had been signed and filed. The house they knew for well over ten years was now on the market. It was a bittersweet moment to see that FOR SALE sign in the front yard again. She would often drive by the old house just take one last look at it. But there was a time when she parked her car in front and did nothing but gaze at the old house.   
It was honestly no surprise when a family looked at the house. The place was lovely. It sat in a good neighborhood in the suburbs of Los Angeles. It wasn’t far from the city, about a half an hour drive. Two big yards for children to play in. The backyard contained an in-ground pool, a big back porch, and a nice playset. Levi and Jocelynn decided years ago that if they were to separate and sell the house, the playsets would be sold with the house. It was considered a gift to the new family that would move in.   
Again, it was no surprise that the said family loved it so much they decided to buy it. The selling point, the nice neighborhood. Jocelynn received two checks in the mail. One for her and one for Levi. This wasn’t exactly what she wanted. She didn’t want to see him a week before the final court date. But she had no choice. So, she drove over to Levi’s place. She had gotten the address via her eldest child. That was a secret she planned to keep to herself. When she parked her car, she debated if she should just gather the courage and go up to the door or go back home and mail the check to him. But then the custody battle came into her mind, and that her kids with their father at the moment.   
So, she gathered the courage and walked up to the front door. She stood there for a moment. She took a couple of steps back. Why was she this nervous facing her soon-to-be ex-husband? This wasn’t herself. She wasn’t a coward. Jocelynn did the only reasonable thing and rang the doorbell. She was only moments away from facing Levi as it had been two weeks since they last saw each other. Jocelynn rang the doorbell again, and seconds later the door opened. Their eldest, Hannah, had opened the door. 

“Mom?” Hannah asked. “You’re a day early. What are you doing here?”

“I need to speak with your father,” Jocelynn answered. “I know he’s  
home.” 

Hannah let her mom inside while shutting the door. 

“Dad!” Hannah called. “Mom is here.” 

Jocelynn really wished her eldest daughter didn’t say call him out like that. Levi appeared a minute later a look of dismay on his face. He asked Hannah to go upstairs and she did, leaving the two alone. 

“What are you doing here?” He asked. “More importantly how do you know where I live?” 

“I have my ways,” Jocelynn countered. “Look I’m only here because of this.” She handed him the check. “It’s half of the amount of the house. It sold.”

Levi took the check, looking at his soon-to-be ex-wife incredulously. 

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” She said. “I should go.” 

She began to head out the door.

“Wait,” Levi cried as he grabbed her wrist. “We need to talk. The final court date is next week, and we still haven’t figured out custody. We should talk, face to face.”

He let go and Jocelynn crossed her arms, prepared to hear whatever Levi had to say. 

“Please don’t keep the kids from me,” He pleaded. “You know that I haven’t gone a day without seeing them. I can’t live without them, Jocelynn.”

She kept his words in mind and gazed at him. She knew that he meant that sincerely. He’s been a wonderful father to them ever since they were born. 

“Then let’s discuss custody,” Jocelynn spoke with a smile. 

…………………

The final court date had arrived. Court was in full swing. Now, all that was needed was the decision on custody and the finalizing of the divorce. 

“I assume the two of you have come to an agreement?” Judge Samuel asked. 

Levi and Jocelynn looked at each other with a smile. 

“Yes, your honor,” The said in unison. 

The judge was curious. He sat back in his chair while lacing his fingers together. 

“We’ve decided,” Jocelynn began. “That joint custody is more than appropriate for us. He would get the kids every other week and weekend. But when he is to go on tour, I will have the kids until he gets back.”

“The children will be allowed to speak to the father during that time on tour?” Judge Samuel asked. 

“Yes, your honor,” Levi answered. “Jocelynn and I will alternate holidays and birthdays when applicable.” 

“I can tell that this was discussed for a long time. Well, I can tell you that your decision has been deemed appropriate, therefore, it will be the final decision in this hearing.” 

He slammed his gavel against the bench. Then he signed the divorce papers, finalizing the separation between Jocelynn Belmont and Levi Denault. They were dismissed afterward. As they left the courthouse, Levi and Jocelynn exchanged one last smile before going their separate ways.

**Author's Note:**

> Also, I deeply apologize if this isn't how an actual divorce/custody battle plays out. I've never gone through one myself with my parents so if anything is wrong, I'm very sorry. I did try my best with this type of "conflict". 
> 
> Bonus: 
> 
> The time came for Levi to go on tour. He said goodbye to his kids as he left them with Jocelynn. He didn't want to leave them so soon, but since the divorce had been finalized last week, the kids had spent this past week with their father before they were to go with their mother for the time being, despite the pleas and cries from his eldest and youngest children.  
He finished a show at the Convention Center and the tour bus was well on its way to the next city, San Fransisco. It was driving along the highway the sun setting against the pacific. Levi watched as the blue mass flew by in a flurry of colors. Then a sudden idea came to mind as he eyed the wedding band on his ring finger. He never had the courage to take it off as he didn't want the separation to seem real. But now that it was said and done, it was time this deed be done. 
> 
> "Pull over," He cried. "There's something I have to do." 
> 
> His bandmates and manager looked at him with this confused look on their faces. Levi's own showed that he was begging for the bus to be pulled over. So, Alex merely gave a sigh and told the driver to merely do just that. He pulled off to the edge of the beach and opened the doors and Levi hurried out.   
He slowed down once he was a ways away from the massive vehicle. His bandmates and manager gazed at him from the sidelines watching him approach the ocean. 
> 
> "Oh great, he's going to drown himself," Tyler remarked. 
> 
> "Pipe down," Alex nudged Tyler. "That's not what's doing."
> 
> Levi slid the wedding band off. He tossed and turned the piece of jewelry, getting one last look at it. Bittersweet memories came to him as he remembered the day he married Jocelynn. Now, that was but a distant memory that will surely be lost to time.   
With the ring in hand, he reared his arm and threw the wedding band into the ocean. He watched it fly through the air as it twinkled in the sunlight. Then it was lost to depths, floating down to who knows where and Levi didn't give the slightest damn in the world as he felt this massive weight lift off of his shoulders.   
With a smile on his face, he made his way back onto the bus. When the doors closed and it took back off towards the Golden Gate city. He felt this new profound satisfaction that he's wanted to do since those papers were filed away to the courts.
> 
> (Ahhh, I've been wanting to write that bit for god knows how long. Anyway, again I apologize for the lack of knowledge of Los Angeles because I myself have never been to California. So if there isn't a highway that's close to the ocean, I apologize.)


End file.
